Long wait time causing old anxieties to return!

[Gilbo]

Hi. I have had three root canals. The first one in a small front tooth is fine atm. The third one is also doing well since it was done in Dec. 2019. The second one, done in July 2018 is the problem. It was sensitive from day one. (When he did the root canal, he said that he could only access two canals as the last one seemed too small to do anything with. I think this is maybe why I can still feel a lot of sensation in this tooth, yet he has completely ruled out doing a re-treatment. He also doesn't use crowns or rubber dams, if that's important). My dentist doesn't like the word sensitive and I'm not allowed to use it, as he always says "What does that mean?" Anyway, it was mostly fine until this last Autumn/Fall. One day I bit down on it and nearly went through the roof! When I saw my dentist, he gave me a course of Metronidazole, which always seems to work best for me, as he said I probably had a bit of infection or an abscess. So all was well and it saw me through Christmas. However, two weeks ago, the pain began to return and over this fortnight, I have had a few sharp toothaches interspersed with bouts of 'sensitivity'. Since the last weekend, I have been mostly in pain, which has been getting worse, so I saw him this Friday, (yesterday). I said that, as I soon will be having a few months of radiation and other treatments to hopefully deal with my prostate cancer, I would like to get this tooth problem solved before that starts mid-February. He has spoken of the 'only option left' before, that being extraction of the tooth. But he really didn't want to go down that root. Sorry, route! He has always performed any extractions I needed himself. However this time, he has referred me to a dental surgeon at the same practice. (I have seen her before, she injected me seven times, just to treat one tooth)! But now apparently, she isn't there very often, or sees only a few patients at a time and they were joking amongst themselves of this fact (dentist and nurse). So when I went to reception for a date for this extraction, they said the earliest I can have it done is 15 weeks away, on May 13th. this year!!! I told them I have all this other treatment, which I don't want the worry of anything else and indeed may have to cancel this dental appointment, if it falls in the middle of my radiotherapy (further extending the wait time) and I also told them of my current near unbearable pain. Much shrugging of their shoulders and "That's the best we can do's" later and I'm furious, stressed and highly anxious! (I have had on and off anxiety/stress and depression since 1982). My heart is racing, I am unable to relax or sleep and I'm trying to find other dentists in my area who I can go to instead, who also take on new NHS patients. We have about a hundred dentists within 30 miles, but only two are taking on patients and aren't open until Monday! One more point, though I have a few different painkillers including Pregabalin and Tramadol, (I can't take Ibuprofen/Naproxen due to certain medicines I take for my type 2 Diabetes), absolutely none of them even begins to touch the pain from this tooth! Could you please tell me what you think I should do in this instance? I've never thought that my dentist likes me much and from this latest instance, feel proven right! I think they may be trying to push me away. Should I complain? Find another dentist? Or maybe even severely damage my bank balance by going private? (My partner is a wheelchair user, I too am disabled and we are only on certain benefits and that last option would probably hurt nearly as much as the toothache, but I'll do that if it's the only option)! Many thanks. ps, I am in Norfolk, UK if that helps.

 

[Gilbo]

Sorry, just to add, the tooth causing the problem is an upper molar on the left side, two places from the wisdom tooth. Also, should I ask another dentist if they would consider re-treating the tooth first, rather than extracting it?

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

First of, as you said yourself, it is not going well in that practice and you search for a new one.
until the extraction is done, you can ask a dentist to shave the tooth down so that it won’t absorb pressure with eating.

Hope you find a more considering dentist.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Gilbo,

So sorry you are having to go through all of this and all with a dentist where you are feeling comfortable or isn't too helpful or welcoming of your concerns and anxities . you are dealing with cancer, anxiety, depression and dental pain all... that is alot! I really hope you can find someone in your area that will see you and sooner than that place you are going.. someone compassionate! Im in the US so don't know about the NHS system.. but I"m sending positive regards your way hoping something opens for you soon to take care of this!

 

[Enarete]

HI Gilbo ,

so sorry to read about everything you are dealing with right now. I was already cringing just reading about your dentist not liking the word "sensitive" and that was just a first part of the story! (You are the client and you can use whatever words you find accurate to describe what's going on!).
Now simply leaving you in pain, knowing you will be going through radiotherapy leaves me speechless. I am not familiar with NHS and the system in UK too much, but quite sure that a dentist can't leave you for weeks if you have severe pain. I can't grasp that they haven't at least give you an advice about what you could do to get it sorted. I can see how stressed and anxious this made you feel and it looks like you are working extra hard to figure out what to do.
My very first idea would be to go to an emergency as it's weekend and you are in pain. Maybe they could take the tooth out or find any other way to get you out of pain for you to get some time to plan the next step.
Going private, if you can find a way to do it might be an option to get a bit of more control over where you will go and maybe to get a quicker treatment. I see how things are difficult and this is a decision only you can make but reading your story it also jumped into my mind as well. We have a dentist recommendation section for Norwich, Norfolk here, if that helps.

All the best wishes, hang in there and don't lose hope, will keep my fingers tightly crossed for you to get out of pain asap. Let us know how you get on!

 

[Gilbo]

Thank you all so much. Although I have a partner and she is as supportive as can be, your replies have helped and reassured me more than you can know. I felt lost and alone. I still have the pain of course, but good thoughts and information from other people can be like taking a kind of special comforting pill. ?

 

[Gilbo]

If I could just add something to this. Although my pain has died down to it's usual, more bearable level, I still have this constant, dull pain in the upper and lower jaw area on the left side of my face. The tooth could be what's causing that, but I can't really tell. Maybe it's the old 'clenching and grinding' due to nerves, which I've had many times before, but this just seems a bit worse. I now have a new dentist and wonder, do I need to ring the old one and tell them to cancel my two upcoming appointments, or just tell them I have a new dentist? I can't ring the new one, as their phone line is down all day today, just like it was yesterday! (I had to go there to register). Although my first appointment with them is sooner than May 13th. It still takes 8 weeks to see someone, on March 26th! So I hope this pain will wait until then and that I can find a way to bear this dull pain! the nerves are still going crazy! But having seven weeks shaved off the overall time, is definitely better than nothing. I just want it to be over.

 

[Gordon]

You need to cancel the 2 appointments, otherwise you might be fined for not giving them enough notice.